VCS Convocation Starts New Year With Great Energy

All Vance County Schools employees returned to work to begin the 2018-2019 school year on August 20 and attended the school system's annual Convocation held at McGregor Hall in downtown Henderson.

The theme for the 2018 Convocation was "Better Together."

The theme for Vance County Schools for the 2018-2019 school year is "The Year of Breakthrough."

Activities during the event focused on both of these important slogans.

The almost 1,000 employees of the school system arrived on school buses from their respective school sites. They wore matching school t-shirts or special costumes to promote team spirit and support for their schools. The Vance County High School Marching Band and Cheerleaders welcomed all of the school staff membes as they entered McGregor Hall. Once inside the auditorium, the school staff groups were met with lively music as they made their way to their seats. The Convocation had a pep rally atmosphere with employees singing to music, joining in school cheers and even doing a little dancing.

On the stage for the Convocation, current Vance County Schools Principal of the Year Kristen Boyd of Aycock Elementary School, led the event as the mistress of ceremonies. Rachel Bradshaw, music teacher at Carver and New Hope elementary schools, did an amazing job in singing The Star Spangled Banner. The presentation of the flags was done by members of the Vance County High School Junior Air Force ROTC.

The principals of each of the district's 15 schools came on stage individually as their school was recognized during the "roll call" portion of the event. From the stage, the principals led the staff's of their schools in songs, cheers, dancing and more as they all showed their true school spirit. At the end of the roll call, judges decided on which school staff exhibited the most school spirit as the recipient of the "VCS Spirit Award." Vance County High School and Principal Rey Horner won first place for their school spirit. Horner and Assistant Principal Mcshell Edmonds came to the stage to receive the over-sized pencil trophy. Finishing in second place in the spirit competition was Dabney Elementary School, followed by Carver Elementary School in third place.

Superintendent Anthony Jackson also presented Vance County Early College High School with the "School of the Year" award for 2017-2018 for its students' and staff's outstanding performance for the year. The school is expected to be an "A-Plus" school and have a proficiecy rate of over 90 percent for last school year. Receiving special recognition for the hard work and accomplishments of students and staff in 2017-2018 was Aycock Elementary School.

Jackson also recognized schools in addition to Early College and Aycock for their outstanding achievements last year. Those schools recognized included Carver Elementary, Dabney Elementary, Clarke Elementary, Pinkston Street Elementary, L.B. Yancey Elementary, E.M. Rollins Elementary, New Hope Elementary, AdVance Academy and the former Henderson Middle.

Jackson urged all VCS employees to continue to work together for the betterment of all students. He stressed that 2018-2019 can be a breakthrough year with a continued strong commitment to teamwork and teaching students "as if they were our own children."